Key Largo, Florida, United States

USCGC Duane

The USCGC Duane (WPG-33) is a 100-metre Treasury-class United States Coast Guard cutter that served from 1936 through World War II and into the 1980s before being scuttled on 27 November 1987 just south of Molasses Reef as part of the Florida Keys artificial reef program. She landed perfectly upright on a sand bottom at 36 metres, with the main deck at around 30 metres and the crow's nest reaching up to about 18 metres, where it makes a useful safety-stop platform. The Duane is regarded as one of the best wreck dives in the continental United States for the combination of intact structure, abundant pelagic life and reliably good visibility. Goliath grouper, large barracuda schools, amberjack, blackfin tuna, eagle rays and bull and reef sharks are seen on most dives. Currents are frequently strong, sometimes requiring a live drop on the mooring line. Penetration is possible for trained wreck divers. The site sits within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary; mooring buoys are mandatory.